During the days that we spent in Puerto de Santa Maria (Cadiz), we used to do small trips, always coming back to meet with Nacho, Asturian and flamenco lover, and his friend Mariano. One of those days, I stayed in El Puerto working on some dance sequences while Renu and Natasha repeated a visit to Seville, with the surprise that they missed the last train and had to spent the night over there. I met with Nacho and Mariano, as they had a plan for that night. In one of the boroughs, known for being a bit problematic, there was a conference with a projection of old photos of El Puerto. It was showing its buildings and key places, and how its trace could be glimpsed in the actual changed arquitectural landscape. The event was at the typically Andalusian patio of Felisa's house. The door to get in the patio had an inscription dated from the beginnings of 1900, and all the space was decorated with plants. Other doors access to other parts of the house. The walls were heaped with lightbulbs recycled onto small jars containing water and diverse plant's sprouts. When the conference finished, we were offered some tapas and wine (fino, a typical wine from Jerez), and we chat till late. There we new about the story of Felisa, and how she took care of her ill husband, who was in a bed for 29 years. In her spare time, she started to design and create models of doll's clothes, which represented real people from her environment, as for example, the nurses and doctors of the hospital or random celebrities. Each of them had a detail which made them particular and individual. Proud, shy and with joy and excitement. She was proud, shy, joyful and excited when she showed her work, I liked especially a set of hat and handbag knitted in crochet with plastic bags. And her creativity didn't end there: she commented us the intention to write a poetry book, and she pleased us with the recite of two of them, as you can see further down; one dedicated to her dead husband, and the other to her daughter.

You came to me a bright sunny daySo bright and beautiful was that dayThat when you saw me, you felt in love with meI was the love of your lifeSo much you loved me and so much you were loving meThat to die you ran one dayThe day that God was bornOne was born, and the other diedAnd when you died, you took with yourself your beloved oneWho was me

Today is your happy birthdayToday is 50 years since you were born from meWhen they placed you in my arms, I cried of joyBecause of joy you cry as wellBecause I was already mother, and you, my daughterWhen I was picking you up from school, so littleAnd she was running towards me as a flying doveAnd she was kissing me and hugging meAnd she was saying to me, my motherTears were running down my faceBecause I was already mother, and you, my daughter

Thursday, 18 September 2008

Caños de Meca is a beach in Cádiz, the meridional Andalusia, close to the Cape of Trafalgar. Renu, Natasha and I spent a few nights over there. We departed from Tarifa and arrived there for the summer's last weekend party. During those days, people were slowly leaving the place, back to their life's routines in the cities. Still in nature and delighted at night by a ceiling of millions of stars, it all seem as we were in the moon, like Natasha said once, in between the white sand dunes and the soft stroke of the Atlantic ocean. Renu had a moment of inspiration and came out with a clapping rhythm which I recorded, lighted only with a tiny torch in the middle of the beautiful night's darkness.

Wednesday, 17 September 2008

As part of the road trip, I also stopped at Granada.This show was near by the Albaicin. Guitarist Josele De La Rosa, singer Raúl Sacay and dancer Almudena Romero performed in this tiny place 7th Sep 2008 at cueva-pub Upsetter. After the show we ended in Eishavira, a very typical Flamenco place of Granada, having some wines.

I recently went to Andalucía for a road trip. This Flamenco performance was in Conil, Cádiz; it was performed in the square of the place, surrounded by terraces full of tourists. What I like from it, is that the singer/guitarist, percussionist (cajón) and dancer are all women._______________

Tuesday, 16 September 2008

I would like to make a comment about this Spanish dance initiative based in Madrid. They use public spaces to perform and document choreographies of artists in the field. They have a website translated to many languages where they explain their purpose of developing new audiences for dance, and they give the opportunity to participate by sending the documentation of the performance (in public spaces, not theatres, or organiced venues) without editing, for not to be confused with a dance film or video. In fact, dance is an ephemeral art form, and nowadays, thanks to technology and network, can be seen by many, giving the opportunity to artists to show their work to a wider audience.